Police community support officers across Coventry and Warwick-shire will not be allowed to use new powers to hold suspects for half an hour, it has been announced.

Police chiefs from Warwick-shire and the West Midlands have confirmed they will not be increasing the powers of their police community support officers (PCSOs) in accordance with new legislation allowing them to detain suspects.

Warwickshire southern area commander Chief Supt David Whitehouse said he believed the current powers given to PCSOs were working extreme-ly well.

He said: "While we welcome the flexibility that allows forces to make their own decisions on this issue, we don't believe that it would be right for Warwickshire at this time.

"The fact that our PCSOs are not caught up in the reactive elements of policing is their great strength.

"They are able to be out and about on high-visibility patrol and talking to local people and businesses, helping to solve problems and gather information which is having a real impact in terms of crime reduction and detection, and increasing public confidence."

He said the role of PCSOs would be reviewed regularly.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said they had also decided not to use the powers which have been granted by the Home Office.

The spokesman said: "In the West Midlands, PCSOs work in teams with regular officers and given the availability of regular officers, in this particular case it is unlikely the new powers, for PCSOs to detain suspects, will need to be utilised."

Community support officers were first introduced in Warwickshire two years ago and support the work carried out by regular officers. They were phased into service in Coventry shortly afterwards.

The officers are usually used to help prevent community crime, like problems caused by nuisance youths or vandalism.

They are paid between £16,000 and £17,500, wear uniforms and carry radios but do not have powers of arrest.

Warwickshire Police has submitted a bid to the Home Office for funding to provide 40 extra officers to join the 47 already on patrol.